2 lb. eggplant
Oil

Meat sauce:
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. oil
2 lb. ground beef or lamb
1 c. chopped, peeled tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 c. white wine
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Salt and pepper

CREAM SAUCE:

1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
2 c. milk
1/8 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch slices with skin on. Sprinkle slices with salt and leave for 1 hour. Dry with paper towels.

Oil the base of a baking dish, add a layer of eggplant and brush with oil. Lightly brown under a hot grill, turn, brush again with oil and brown other side. Alternatively, eggplant may be shallow-fried in oil. Stack on a plate when cooked.

Gently fry onion and garlic in oil for 10 minutes. Add meat and brown over high heat, stirring well. Add remaining meat sauce ingredients, seasoning to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. Add milk all at once and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let sauce bubble gently for 1 minute.

Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg or cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover top of sauce with buttered paper if not required immediately.

Grease an oven dish, 9x13x2 inches and place a layer of eggplant slices in the base. Top with half of the meat sauce, add another layer of eggplant, remainder of meat and finish with eggplant.

Stir beaten egg into sauce and spread on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. Serve 6 to 8.